Singularity (episode)
The crew uncharacteristically obsesses over trivial matters. Summary The Enterprise goes to explore a trinary black hole system. They are approaching at impulse so it will take a couple of days to get there. Since they have the time, Archer asks Trip to fix the Captain's chair on the bridge, Sato volunteers to sub for the ailing chef, Reed works on some new security protocols, Archer works on the preface on a book about his father, and Phlox examines Mayweather about a headache. Soon, and with increasing focus, the crew starts obsessing on their tasks. It's so bad that even T'Pol, who seems to not be affected, notices that the humans are behaving outside the norm. And not just the humans are affected: T'Pol has to neck pinch Phlox before he starts taking pieces out of Mayweather's brain for more study. T'Pol discovers that a peculiar radiation from the black hole is the reason for the crew’s irrationality. But there is an eddy where the crew will be safe -- though it will require piloting the Enterprise through dangerous black hole influenced areas. Unfortunately, she can't navigate and pilot at the same time, and the crew is unconscious. T'Pol rouses Archer enough so that he can man the helm, but his impairment is troublesome. There is too much large planetary rubble threatening Enterprise. Fortunately, Reed’s obsession created an automatic "Tactical Alert" that brings all defensive systems online, thus allowing T'Pol to blast asteroids with the Enterprise's phase cannon. Once outside the radiation, the crew soon recovers. On the plus side, the captain's chair is fixed, and Reed's new security protocol will become standard. Log Entries Teaser :Science Officer's Log, August 14, 2152. [[Enterprise (NX-01)|''Enterprise]] remains on course for the trinary system. I've transmitted a distress call, but the nearest Vulcan ship is more than nine days away. By the time they arrive, they may only find debris... if that. Even if Enterprise makes it past the black hole without being destroyed... it seems likely the crew won't survive.'' Act One ]] :...I'm continuing my analysis of the condition that's stricken the crew. But without Dr. Phlox's assistance, I'm not hopeful about reversing its effects. I'm documenting my findings so that Starfleet will at least have a record of what happened. The symptoms began not long after we set a course for the trinary system. That was nearly two days ago.'' threatens T'Pol with a scalpel]] Act Three :...It wasn't long before I realized the odd behavior wasn't limited to Commander Tucker. In fact, everyone I encountered was acting strangely, growing consumed with matters that seemed trivial, at best. I also discovered that, although I appeared to be immune, the Captain was not. Act Four :...The crew's biosigns were growing erratic. I began to doubt any of them would survive more then a few hours. Ironically, Dr. Phlox's obsession with Ensign Mayweather's headache has provided some useful data. His cerebral scans have helped me determine that the radiation coming from the trinary system is causing...//...my radiometric analysis is complete. As I suspected, reversing course won't take us out of danger quickly enough. The radiation appears to extend outward at least half a light year in every direction except one. If I can chart a course between the stars, we could escape the radiation before the crew succumbs. But I won't be able to pilot the ship alone. Memorable Quotes "This is a very complex recipe, I won't serve it until it's ready! My family's reputation is at stake!" : - Hoshi, under the influence of the singularity's radiation "I've been meaning to have you drop by sickbay in any case, see how you are recovering from the implant you received at the repair station" "Do you think that's what could be causing it?" "Possibly. Then again, it could be as innocuous as muscular tension. However.... Tyrillian Plague starts out with a simple headache... and then all manner of nasty things start to happen..." : - Phlox and Travis discussing Travis' headache "Ensign, if we don't serve something soon, we'll have a riot on our hands." "Is this too salty? Something's not right... Hand me the Kreetassan spice, I'll add it to the stock. And I'm out of carrots." "There are twenty-five crew waiting.." "CARROTS!" "With all due respect Ensign, you've been cooking the same meal over and over again" "I believe ''I'm in charge of the galley. You're dismissed." "''Ma'am, I..." "GET OUT!!" : - A crewman finds Hoshi obsessing over her cooking in the galley "You ignored a Tactical Alert for THIS?" "Give it a rest, will you!" "This isn't a bloody pleasure cruise! Without proper discipline on this ship, this mission is doomed!" "Why don't you go play soldiers somewhere else?!" "If this were a military situation, you'd be taken out and shot!" : - Malcolm Reed and Trip Tucker fighting on the bridge while under the radiation's influence "How are you feeling?" "A little tired, but the headache's gone, what'd you do?" "Very little... fortunately." : - Phlox, Travis Background Information *This episode establishes black holes as a common phenomenon in the Star Trek universe. A conversation between Archer and T'Pol purports that the Vulcans have surveyed "more than 2000" black holes. Since there is no mention of even the Gamma or Delta Quadrants—much less extra-galactic travel—to this point in Star Trek history, it may be assumed that these charted black holes have all been within just the Alpha and Beta Quadrants of the Milky Way Galaxy alone. *This was the first episode to show the galley. *One of the early indications that the Doctor is under the effect of the singularity's radiation is that he forces Mayweather to undergo a microcellular scan against his will. As revealed in "The Breach", the most important Denobulan medical rule is to never treat a patient who refuses the suggested medical procedure. *Among the many things listed on the "Week's Dinner Menu" are peach cobbler, Plomeek tea, Angolian cole slaw, lamb and beef in soy fondue, and French fries. *A part of Malcolm's obsessive behavior in this episode centers around finding a "shipwide emergency alert". One facet that concerns him is a name for this alert condition. Both he and Archer are displeased with the phrase "battle stations"—for differing reasons—so he contemplates several alternatives. Tucker suggests the tongue-in-cheek "Reed Alert". Malcolm entertains this for a while, before dismissing it for "condition red", then "red alert" and finally "tactical alert". This is thus the first episode, chronologically, to contain the phrase "red alert", even though the term is not generally used in the series. * After the initial credits we can see part of the introduction Archer is trying to write for his father's biography, concerning Henry Archer and the Vulcans. Links and References Guest Stars *Matthew Kaminsky as Cunningham References analgesic; Andronesian encephalitis; Archer, Henry; automatic repair station; "Battle stations"; Captain's chair; carrots; cat; cerebral micro-section; Chef; clearance code; Cochrane, Zefram; coffee; cortical scan; court martial; Denobulan; duty roster; EPS grid; first officer; flight school; galley; headache; hyperspanner; iced tea; impulse manifold; inertial micro-dampers; Kreetassan spice (Kreetassan); laser micrometer; Mazarite; mess hall; Minaran spinach (Minaran); ''Neptune''-class; neural implant; neurotransmitter; oden; parametric scanner; peach cobbler; phase coil; plasma conduit; ''plomeek'' broth; protocystian spore; Risa; salt; serotonin; Starfleet Command; Suliban; Tactical Alert; tactical drill; target discriminator; Tasaki; Terrellian plague; trinary system; Vulcan neck pinch; Vulcan star charts; Vulcan starship; water polo Menu references Argelian cole slaw; asparagus; beef; bread; brisket; cabbage; Carnegie style cheesecake; champagne; cheese; chocolate; crepe; filet mignon; fondue; French fries; fried chicken; frilled curled onions; garlic bread; ginger; Grandma DeRosa; green apples; green beans; green olive caviar; green peas; grilled alpine surprise; grilled trout almondine; grilled vegetable panini; grilled Vietnamese pork; lamb; lasagna; Minaran spinach; mixed green salad; noodle kugel; peach cobbler; ''Plomeek'' tea; raspberry sauce; red apples; rice pilaf; roast duck; scalloped potatoes; soy; steamed rice; strawberries; twice-baked potato |next= }} Category: ENT episodes de:Eigenarten es:Singularity nl:Singularity (aflevering)